


Long Overdue

by Writer_Poe



Category: TRICKSTER - 江戸川乱歩「少年探偵団」より | Trickster: From Edogawa Ranpo's "The Boy Detectives Club" (Anime)
Genre: Canon Compliant, First Date, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Getting Together, Idiots in Love, Ignorant Kobayashi, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Inoue is dense, Kobayashi x Sleep & Food, Light Angst, M/M, No beta we die like Takumi, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Snack Bar date, Spoilers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, mentioned Akechi/Twenty Faces, mentioned Hide - Freeform, multi-ship, reference to Episode 2, referenced Nao and Takumi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:41:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25291822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Poe/pseuds/Writer_Poe
Summary: Katsuda takes Inoue out on their first date, all the while Kobayashi comes to terms with how love works.
Relationships: Akechi Kogorou/Kaijin Nijuu Mensou | Fiend with Twenty Faces, Hanasaki Kensuke/Kobayashi Yoshio, Inoue Ryou/Katsuta Masaharu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Long Overdue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pilwxn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pilwxn/gifts).



Today had been a day not out of the ordinary for the Boys Detective Club, even if it did include chasing down some guy who, even in broad daylight, pulled a gun out on the new owner of the food stand Hanasaki had been investigating when him and Kobayashi had completed their first job together, the young woman having set her boyfriend up with fake death threat letters she put together. Who knew they’d get as far as they did all this time later?

Hide had phoned up Hanasaki to inform him of the robbery, seeing as he witnessed it first hand while he had been walking down the street. Ever since Nao -if that had even been her- shot and murdered Takumi, probably the one man they trusted at the station, it’s no surprise that the agency bears little trust for the police these days, even if they’ve turned themselves around. Hide, even if he had little involvement with that ordeal in particular, had no faith in the cops anyway, so whenever he witnessed something like now for instance, he would call up Hanasaki instead.

They were certainly glad for that, seeing as life at the Detective Club had been slow-going since Twenty Faces was removed from the picture altogether followed by their boss. It seems Akechi wasn’t the only one receiving the ‘thrills’, because with all that madness over, they’re back to helping old ladies find their missing cats with the odd exciting case here and there. Inoue has been doing a phenomenal job at keeping his superior’s life’s work in balance, and while no one has seen that man since, they did receive a stray phone call from him one day out of the blue a few months after he had disappeared.

While he gave little details as to where he actually was, they do know it’s somewhere hot and on a beach, the perfect place for him to gawk at half-naked girls and get drunk to his heart’s content. Although that part about the women in bikinis would no longer apply, it seems, seeing as the one other thing he did mention to Inoue and the others aside from him being alive and well is that he got married to Twenty Faces of all people.

Inoue had almost fallen out of his seat, all the while Hanasaki and Noro were led into a fit of coughing seeing as they were in the midst of eating a late supper after a long day of cases when he had phoned in at random. Kobayashi simply shrugged as he proceeded to stuff his face with his fifth burger, sauce staining his pouting lips while Hanasaki yells in surprise at his lack of a reaction.

The whole ‘love’ and ‘relationships’ concept was something… foreign, when it came to Kobayashi. Of course, he obviously knew what it was, seeing as his parents were married before tragedy struck, but with all honesty, the boy could only make little sense out of it.

While Hanasaki had been up on the rooftop with him that night after Akechi’s first and last phone call to them, the final time they’ll ever hear his voice more than likely seeing as the man made it very clear that they were never coming home, the two had been gazing up at the stars, a common ritual the two had made as they drank milkshakes from the fast food they bought their dinner; Hanasaki’s chocolate, Kobayashi’s vanilla.

Not very often will Kobayashi strike up a conversation, let alone a deep one, but when it does happen, it’s always with his friend and partner. Sure, Hanasaki will always tease and poke fun at him to evoke a reaction out of him, laughing hard when he’d teasingly reach out to touch him only for his powers to throw him halfway across the room, but never would he insult his ignorance or make him feel stupid for having such little knowledge of the world and human concepts. ‘

It’s why he braved the confidence to ask Hanasaki if two boys were allowed to traditionally marry, as Akechi and Twenty Faces seemed to have done. He felt super awkward in asking, twisting his pale finger around the bow of his new sneakers Inoue had bought for him -something he’s still getting used to after going barefoot for as much as his life he could remember- with downcast eyes, and it only intensified when he felt Hanasaki’s laser blue staring through him.

His back was stiff at that point, but Hanasaki had only smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand in reassurance, red meeting blue that were both beautiful enough to battle the stars aglow above them. Kobayashi hadn’t been expecting such a gentle reaction, palm sliding across the top of his hand before turning the younger’s over to join theirs together, fingers slipping perfectly into the gaps between each other’s.

The action had him swallowing thickly, crimson stare wide as he simply watched the process happen wordlessly, flashes of the many nights he sleepwalked into his room during the wee hours of the early A.M causing his heart to skip a beat or three. He’d always find himself seeking Hanasaki’s comfort with a foggy mind whenever nightmares plagued his rest, an occurrence more common than you’d expect when you’re still trying to obtain old memories that are probably better off remaining beneath the surface.

Borderline crying or sometimes with even tears streaming down flushed cheeks depending on the intensity, Hanasaki wouldn’t need to ask any questions after it had become such a routine at this point in time, simply extending his bed and arms to him without batting an eyelash.They hardly greet each other these days, seeing as they’d just settle in like this was their new normal, which it kind of seems to be except for the stray night where Kobayashi actually does get a good night’s sleep in his ferris wheel cart he oh so adores.

Although the brisk of the night and the view of the stars on a crisp night can’t compete with the feeling of having Hanasaki snuggle into his back, his powers almost non-existent as he’s met with human touch like it’s a given and not privilege. Kobayashi loved the cold, hated the heat of a brutal summer or a stuffy office, but Hanasaki’s always came as a warm welcome, all his fears melting away with it when he wraps his arms and limbs around him, spooning him from behind as he sighs contentedly into the crook of his neck. He often wonders if Hanasaki experiences nightmares too, surrounding his brother who he’s yet to fully mend with, but that’ll probably always remain a mystery, seeing as the boy hates to burden any of them with his feelings or problems after all of the havoc it wreaked the last time he did.

Kobayashi wishes the person he loves most would confide in him more, seeing as his therapy sessions are practically pointless when he refuses to talk about anything that’d only upset him to hash out, The boy can only pray that on the nights Hanasaki’s uglier thoughts have him lying awake, it’s in coordination with the occasions where Kobayashi seeks him out.

That moment on the rooftop, hand in hand as it felt both new but so very familiar, had his mind wandering to those times of comfort and weakness, seeing as this felt almost similar in a way. Hanasaki had explained to him that when it comes to love, gender matters little to most, even if people do usually have a preference. For two boys or two girls to kiss, hold hands, and elope is no different than two people of the opposite sex doing so, even if not all countries allow it.

Kobayashi had scoffed and quickly shot his head away in the opposite direction of his companion, blushing ever so slightly as he grumbled something along the lines of ‘to legalize it in only specific places is just stupid, why do it at all if you’re gonna half-ass it?’ which evoked a genuine laugh out of Hanasaki, because of course everything with Kobayashi comes in black and white. His blunt and straightforwardness is probably the quality he loves most about him, even when there’s plenty more of where that came from. But even so, Hanasaki wholeheartedly agrees, not getting into the topic of homophobia with him when he knew that’d be a whole other ballgame. If the legal matters have him confused, there’s no hope of him grasping that concept.

That’s basically where they left things, seeing as Hanasaki had to head inside and take a call from his father that had come in unexpectedly. The brunet had ruffled his hair to the other’s demise, a whine escaping the younger’s throat as his friend leaves with a snicker and a, “Sleep tight, Yashi~!” in a teasing tone that made him punchable. His back may have been turned to him, but he could almost see the mini salute he gave him with his pointer and middle finger just above his eye, one eye closed in a wink before swiftly spinning out the door. That boy is more than predictable these days, but perhaps Kobayashi has become that too, because Hanasaki damn well knew a bright smile rested on his lips after his glare slipped away with his departure.

All of this had occurred just one day ago, feeling almost like a fever dream seeing as nothing today felt any different. It’s as if Akechi had never called when all went on as normal, and it’s like Hanasaki and Kobayashi’s conversation on the roof last night didn’t happen when nothing between them changed. Kensuke still left for school this morning like normal, seeing as he’s been attending more frequently lately with the major reduction in cases and the like, and he still messaged him frequently in the middle of his lessons even if Kobayashi struggled to reply back on a device he’s really only learn to master calls on.

Inoue had left too, of course, so the afternoon had been going as usual with Yoshio having the entire office to himself, napping away in their new boss’s chair seeing as sleeping and eating were his two favorite pastimes. It felt great actually having money this day and age, seeing as he can now consume something other than somebody else’s trash.

Life was great, even if a phone call from Hanasaki interrupted a beautiful snooze he had been in the midst of. It was two o’clock in the day, meaning he had an hour of school left to go, but apparently Hide had phoned him about a robbery, which of course Kensuke would choose over a boring lesson any day. Noro had sent Pippo after him already, all set up in her computer space perched on her usual yoga ball, so all they had to do was take off and follow the girl’s GPS, listening to her bark directions over the phone and of course praising her precious pet owl.

They ended up cornering the guy, seeing as Kobayashi was running behind him and Hanasaki toward him due to their separate locations, so the mission turned out to be a success. They were easily able to retrieve the stolen money and hand the man over to the police’s custody, so now at 3:30pm in the day, the duo could just head back to the office and see what awaited them next.

Of course, in saying that, they were referring to a case or another ruckus between Inoue and Noro, seeing as the two of them are always kicking up a fuss with somebody even if it’s often with Kensuke.

What they hadn’t been expecting, however, is to find Inoue hunched over at his desk, a dreary sigh slipping past his lips as he rested his face in the palms of his hands in a stressful manner. Hanasaki and Kobayashi exchanged a bewildered look with each other as they stepped out of the elevator side by side, Kensuke simply shrugging before they’re journeying towards the man, Kobayashi silently eyeing the fishes through the floor’s glass rather than bouncing into the room enthusiastically like his companion did. It surprises him how well they manage to get along as decent as they do, given how contrasting their personalities are.

“Inoue! Why the long face, buddy? Another 96% got you down in the dumps?” Hanasaki snickers cheekily, eyes twinkling mischievously as he proceeds to rub in last week’s argument over his perfect score that was one percent higher than Inoue’s. Obviously the two weren’t in the same grade, seeing as Inoue was currently doing his first year of law school whereas Hanasaki is still in grade eleven, but that didn’t mean they weren’t still competitive when it comes to their marks. Even though Inoue has the excuse that university is obviously much more difficult than high school work, Kensuke’s teasing doesn’t irk him any less, but at least it’s motivation to keep trying harder and harder in his studies even if some part of it is due to the satisfaction of rubbing a good mark in the younger’s face.

The both of them are so smart, after all, even if they can be so stubborn and idiotic at the same time. Kobayashi barely knows how to multiply, let alone all that complicated shit he sees Hanasaki doing whenever he’s completing homework, but that doesn’t make either of them any less than a dumbass.

“Not right now, Hanasaki, I’m not in the mood,” Inoue puffs, teeth gritted before the blare of a vehicle’s horn sounds through the open window. A gentle breeze of Spring wind tangles in Kobayashi’s hair when he approaches it to see where it had come from, Hanasaki’s arm coming around his shoulders when he appears beside him, a wide grin on his lips as he stares out.

Yoshio found himself staring at his face rather than any view outside, even if he did make it so obvious, but Kensuke thankfully acknowledged that barely, winking and quickly pinching his cheek before his attention is redirected at Inoue once again, Kobayashi’s face twisted in irritation but red nonetheless. Like how easily his porcelain skin burns, blushing is just as prominent, which is quite annoying when you’ve got a best friend that lives to tease.

“Hey! Katsuda just waved to us on his pizza delivery scooter! Boy, has it been a while since we’ve seen him!”

Inoue, stress level intensified, smacks his head off the desk, a loud bang that has Hanasaki cringing at how painful it sounded. Kobayashi simply stares with a straight face, a yawn erupting from his mouth. Oh yeah, he almost forgot about his interrupted nap earlier.

“You okay there, Inoue? I think you just killed all of your brain cells-!”

“Katsuda asked me out on a date. Tonight. 7:30pm at the karaoke snack bar across town.” Inoue mumbles more to himself than the others, face down on the desk’s surface as he spoke almost as if he were possessed. Releasing a whining noise that almost sounded like whimpering, he cries helplessly, “What am I going to do?”

“You just said what you’re gonna do,” Kobayashi replies nonchalantly. “You’re going on a date with Katsuda, Tonight. 7:30pm at the karaoke snack bar across town.”

Hanasaki was wheezing now, clutching his stomach as Inoue groans at Yoshio’s sarcastic comment, further falling into his state of misery. The brunet approaches him now and slaps him on the back playfully, speaking in an almost annoying positivity, “So what’s the problem here? You two haven’t caught up in ages, shouldn’t you be excited you’re going out with him? The two of you were always so tight-!”

“A DATE, Hanasaki!” Inoue suddenly shoots up, hands death-gripping a startled Kensuke’s forearms as he stares him in the eye, expression hard with stress. “As in, going out as a… as a couple… Damn it, not to mention this would be considered our first!”

Nervously laughing now as he peers down at Ryo’s strong fingers still trembling and holding him in place with the utmost strength, Kensuke stutters out, “W-Well, that still sounds nice. It’s not like you’re going out with some mere stranger or anything, right? Why are you so freaked out?”

“You don’t know Katsuda like I do, but he is utterly cruel when it comes to dating…” Inoue murmurs, gaze averted to nowhere in particular so he wouldn’t have to stare Hanasaki in the eyes, even Kobayashi starting to pay attention now as he licked at a grape popsicle he hauled out of the mini freezer in the office. “He is a really good and nice person with a huge heart, but everyone who’s ever asked him out has been turned down. Even those he’s said yes to have only ever received the one date, and I… Well, what if I wind up like them?”

“Dumbass,” Kobayashi ‘tsks’, scowling as he further murmurs under his breath, “Do you think he’s risked his life to rescue those people from drowning to death before those ‘one dates’?”

“I mean… he’s not wrong, Inoue. Maybe he only accepted those dates out of pity or to at least give them a fair chance. Besides, Katsuda is the one asking you out! Not the other way around!” Hanasaki stresses, making Inoue’s nerves settle only ever so slightly. “Relaaaaax, my dude. You’ve got nothing to be worried about where Katsuda is concerned. Isn’t that right, Yashi-? Oh my god, look at you!”

Sitting on the couch, Yoshio’s eyebrows are knitted as he stares down at the popsicle that had cracked off the stick and wasted all over his baggy grey shorts, lips in a pout as Hanasaki proceeds to laugh at the poor sucker’s state. Inoue had simply sighed through his nose and checked the clock on his electronic watch, deciding to head back to his apartment so he could shower and be ready on time. Obviously he still had quite a few hours until he would have to head out, but he’ll need every minute he could grab seeing as the anxiousness will set him back by quite a bit.

As he left without a word from the now bickering pair, the two having not noticed his departure, Inoue knew tonight would be one to remember, whether it be for the better or worse.

* * *

Inoue was anxiously sitting on the leather chesterfield of his apartment, a small house he was renting not too far from work thankfully. Since moving in about nine months ago, the first August after graduating grade 12 and a month before he would begin his first year of uni, he’s made a habit out of walking to and from work since it was quite close by and it wouldn’t overexert him. Since realizing that he is very well capable of walking again, he’s been trying to do so more to get his body used to it again, even if it is exhausting on some days.

Today, however, he just barely made it home on two legs, and was almost tempted to call Noro to bring him his wheelchair from the office. With how anxious he’s been since Katsuda texted him earlier, the master of nonchalance simply saying, ‘I’m taking you out tonight. 7:30, I’ll be by to pick you up’, he’s been finding it more difficult to walk with the tremors his body was succumbing to. Even if his body wasn’t swimming with worry and insecurity, just the difficulty of being able to breathe without it coming in large huffs was enough evidence to say he was worked up.

After checking his watch every minute from 7:15pm onward, he finally hears a vehicle pull into his driveway, headlights shining into his living room windows as the tires crunched against crushed stone. Inoue just about flinches when the man’s car door slams shut, meaning he was walking up to his front door right about now.

Ryo scrambles to his feet, falling face first to the floor after getting up much too fast. He curses under his breath and is almost tempted to punch the hardwood floor beneath him when there’s a polite knock at his door, knees almost giving out again when he finally climbs back up to two feet by gripping the arm of his couch for support. His heart was racing like mad as he attempted to fix his messy black hair, hoping his fall hadn’t ruined it too much when he finally reached his door and opened it to greet the man patiently waiting to spoil him.

Katsuda dressed tonight as he usually would in a pair of white washed jeans and a red dress shirt, although the leather jacket he had on was something new that took Inoue by a pleasant surprise. Deciding on what to wear had been the hardest part while getting ready, and while he did dress fairly casually, Ryo did decide to explore a fair bit outside his comfort zone. While this is his date’s first time seeing him with his new piercing, a silver loop on his left ear and a stud, the same could be said about the ripped skinny jeans he wore, something no one would ever suspect to see him wear in a million years. As for a shirt, he had on a white dress shirt rolled up to the elbow, a black v-neck sweater on over it with a silver chain on his jean buckle and around his neck as a short necklace.

“Masaharu… good evening.”

The man standing on his doorstep with a bouquet of white roses cradled in one arm is utterly paralyzed staring at the sheer beauty presented before him, unable to fathom how this was all his and no one else’s. He definitely got lucky in this life, not only to have Inoue as a best friend and detective partner for as long as they had, but to have the privilege to go out as lovers and have him all to himself for one evening. The amount of women and men who have the hots for Ryo is crazy, but none of them will ever know that man the way he does; not after all they’ve gone through.

Finally snapping out of his trance, Masaharu returns Inoue’s shy smile and takes the single step forward that separates the space between them, holding the bouquet against Ryo's chest before pressing a gentle, lingering kiss to his cheek, located exactly where his dimple was as the raven chuckles abashedly, skin hot.

“You look incredible,” Katsuda murmurs with a smile, minty breath striking Inoue’s face from having not fully pulled away. The latter’s back physically stiffens when he feels fingers pinching his earlobe, swallowing thickly when the brunet turns his head to take in the piercings he hadn’t yet seen. “These new?”

“Y-Yeah, I got it done a little more than two weeks ago,” Inoue barely manages as Masaharu takes the flowers from his possession and brings them inside, having no clue how he was meant to survive this for an entire evening when he already felt ready faint.

Releasing a deep breath, Ryo collects himself once again, Katsuda now stepping outside after having put the flowers from his mother’s shop he often worked shifts in still in a vase of water. He slings his arm around the raven’s shoulders before asking if he’s ready to go, which is given a silent nod in reply before they’re making their way to his second hand car he bought about six months ago.

The car ride hadn’t been long at all, probably because the snack bar was fairly close to his home. They could have very well walked, but perhaps Katsuda assumed driving there would be easier given his leg issues.

That seemed to be the case, seeing that as soon as the pair had exited the parked vehicle and Masaharu had joined his side once more, walking toward the brightly-lit venue that sparkled in the black of the evening, he casually comments, “I see you’ve ditched the wheelchair tonight. You’re handling it so well, I’m impressed,” eyes drifting to his legs that were holding up great at the moment.

“You won’t be saying that in an hour when I’ve got some booze in me,” Inoue comments with a snort as the pair enter the main lobby, his eyes widening when he tells the receptionist that he had a reservation for two booked yesterday.

When the kind young woman smiles and tells them to follow her with great optimism, Ryo turns to Katsuda with a raised eyebrow, murmuring quietly enough that his date could hear but not anyone else, “Yesterday, huh? What if I had said no?”

“Well, I was pretty confident I wouldn’t get a rejection, even if you are way out of my league,” Katsuda chuckles as they’re ushered into their private booth of decent size, a giant flat screen plastered on the wall for karaoke. “Besides,” he continues, sitting hip to hip with Inoue rather than directly across, arm around his shoulder once again, “It’s not like you and I haven’t hooked up before in the past. We’ve just… never had a label on it, or went out on anything considered a first date. I’m so crazy about you, and I figured that if I didn’t act now, especially with all the space that’s come between us since graduating, I’d lose you to somebody else...”

Katsuda’s words were said with an upbeat and casual tone, but just looking into his chestnut eyes showed a whole other world of emotion. It seems he was just as nervous for this date if not more than Inoue, seeing as both feared the consequence of this date ending in disaster. Perhaps that’s why they’ve gone this long without taking such a simple step forward, because not only would all of this feel all the more real, but they’ve got each other to lose. To have been each other’s first kiss so long ago and to have had unplanned sex a few times in the past is more casual and less stressful than something serious and labeled, but it’s not as if their feelings haven’t always ran deep enough for this.

It’s just that so much gets in the way, and when you’re not two strangers going on a first date to get to know each other but two people who have been madly in love for countless years, you’ve got so much more to lose.

But they’re here now, finally, and by the looks of it, all will go smoothly for them. It’s up to them if they want this to work out in their favour, and if it wasn’t obvious enough already, the pair craved this more than anything for such a long time.

Green eyes sparkling with emotion and the bright lights illuminating their booth, Inoue cradles Katsuda’s face with his palms before pressing his smiling lips atop of his lover’s, sweeping them up in a passionate kiss that remained mature nonetheless seeing as they were still in a semi-public area. It’s been such a long time since they’ve kissed, especially like this, but at the same time it’s as if they’ve never stopped…

* * *

“Sorry, Yashi, these grape stains aren’t coming out,” Hanasaki sighs as he lifts his shorts out of the washtub he had been scrubbing them in for the past thirty minutes, holding them up in the air to get another look at them as the water soaked into the material poured into the sink full of suds and other product. With a cheeky grin on his face, he turns to the boy grumpily seated up on top of the washing machine and cooes, “Guess you’ll have to keep my track pants on!”

“You mean these ugly-ass track pants the color of a tangerine?” Yoshio grumbles, arms folded over his chest as he turns his head away from him pettily. “You need more clothes.”

“That’s rich, coming from the boy that has to borrow mine because he only owns one pair of shorts that he probably stole off a homeless person,” the brunet jokes, not realizing how harsh his own words were until they had left his mouth. Sometimes he’ll often not notice where his statements are going until they can’t be taken back, but most understand that it’s just his humor and nothing intended to be insulting.

With how quiet and stiff Kobayashi remained, Hanasaki frowns before approaching the boy, standing between his legs and wrapping his arms around his small frame in a hug, ear resting against his chest where he could feel his heart calmly beating. He had been a little hesitant at first, since his magic will usually activate on it’s own when Yoshio is pissed off or frightened, and while Kensuke had braced himself, it seems there hadn’t been a need for it, a thought that had him closing his eyes and absentmindedly smiling with a softness most of his others lacked.

Glancing down at the sudden warmth that had snaked around his body, Kobayashi raises his hand and hovers it above Hanasaki’s head, confused as to what he was supposed to do with it before Kensuke lifts one of his own to place it on his head, smaller fingers now beginning to card through straight hair.

With a pleasant hum, Hanasaki finally opens his eyes and peers up at Kobayashi, the white-haired individual giving him a weird look before the older finally says, “I’m sorry for what I said, it was out of line. I didn’t hurt your feelings, did I?”

He feels a weight lift off his chest when Yoshio shakes his head no, although he very well could’ve been lying. But Kensuke is more convinced when he next says in a quiet tone that flowed with the silence of the laundry room well, “it was just banter, no harm done. Although I won’t hesitate to break your nose if you call me a hobo like Hide did, that’s just unmannerly.”

“Seeing as I broke his nose for saying that, I suppose what goes around comes around,” Hanasaki’s comment evokes a short laugh out of them both, interrupted by the buzzing of his phone from in the pocket of his orange jacket, seeing as he was standing in his boxers after having sacrificed the pants he had been wearing to a certain klutz.

“What is it?” Kobayashi asks curiously, leaning his head forward so his and Hanasaki’s, foreheads were resting against each other’s, both of them peering down at the messaging app the brunet had open that Yoshio couldn’t read from looking at it upside down.

Typing out a short and quick reply, Hanasaki slips it away once again before bringing his head up straight, Kobayashi’s eyes widening at how close their faces were to each other now. Their noses were touching, lips mere inches apart, and somehow Kensuke’s hypnotizing blue eyes were even more breathtaking up close like this. Hanasaki was thinking the same, little did he know, about the beautiful rubies he’s seen no one but Yoshio ever bear, and while now would be the best chance he may ever receive at kissing the person that’s interested him beyond compare since day one, he backs down, even if he would likely regret it when going to sleep tonight.

To answer his question, Hanasaki tells him with a nervous chuckle through the disappointment swimming in both their stomachs after having increased the space between them, “That was Inoue. The two of them had a blast tonight, and right now he’s on his way back to Katsuda’s place. Seeing as he’s decided to tell me now that he won’t be into work tomorrow, I get the feeling that the fun’s only just beginning.”

Kobayashi cocks his head to the side, genuinely not understanding what he meant by that statement as Kensuke only laughs and assures him that he won’t have to worry about that for a very long time yet. Yoshio, not really caring anyway, had only shrugged, before a long silence had taken over the atmosphere of the room, Hanasaki returning to his previous position of hugging Kobayashi’s torso with midnight having already graced them with its presence.

With no words spoken for quite some time as the pair bathed in the relaxation of the quiet, Kobayashi eventually speaks up and casually says in a tone barely above a whisper, “You and I should do that sometime too.”

“Do what?” Kensuke asks curiously, utmost attention on his companion as he glances up at him.

“Go out like Inoue and Katsuda did. You said it’s okay for two boys to do that, right? And I’d also get to eat.”

While stunned for just a moment, Hanasaki isn’t long bursting into a hard fit of laughter once he recovers, Kobayashi’s signature ‘tsk’ leaving his mouth as his face grows red in embarrassment. “What’s so funny?” he practically snarls, hands clenching into fists as the brunet wipes tears from his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Yashi, it’s just…” the laughter intensifies after just settling back down for a moment, “to want to go out on a date just for the free food is so like you, I love it.”

“Well other than the fact we won’t be sleeping there, it’s both my favorite things in the one place!” Kobayashi snaps loudly, genuinely worked up at being mocked that he didn’t even realize the compliment thrown in there, Kensuke, however, certainly noticed.

Soft smile rising on his lips, Hanasaki’s eyes grow teary again, still happy but not from laughing too much. With a grin on his lips, he tightens his arms around Kobayashi and scoops the boy up much to his squeaks of protest, responding to his, “Wh-What are you doing?!” with a,

“Well, if we can’t include the sleeping aspect on our date, then let’s just go to my bed and do that now! It’s way past your usual bedtime, and it seems we’re both in a cuddling mood anyway!”

Heat erupts in Yoshio’s chest, an emotion he knows he hadn’t felt for a very long time. No one but his mother had ever made him feel so loved and special, and with her long gone and lost in a blur of irretrievable memories, at least he has someone willing to fill all the new ones to come with that same bliss.


End file.
